Mobile furnace stoker



June 23, 1925.

s. P. HARMAN uoana FURNACE STOKER Fil ed Feb. 23. 1923 INVENTOR ATTORNEYPatented June 23, 1925.

STEVENS PALMER EAR-MAN, or'mAPL-Ewo'oD," JERSEY".

MOBILE FURNACE s'roxna.

Application filed February 23, 1923.; Serial No. 620,580.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, S'rnvENs MAN, citizen of the United States, andresident of Maplewood, in thecounty of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mobile FurnaceStokers, of whichthe following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to improvements in stoking apparatus and moreparticularly to devices for feeding in connection with houses. Y

, One of the objects of the invention is to provide an apparatus thatcan be operated in a practical manner without the exercise of severemanual labor and effort required under ordinary circumstances, involvingno shoveling or raising of the fuel in feeding the same. j

Another purpose is to produce a stoker, suited to be filled at the fuelsupply bin with a quantity calculated to furnish the boilers for heatingfurnace for a considerable period oftirne, 1

and trundled into a convenient position relative to the furnace door.

A further aim is in the provision of means for tilting or oscillatingthe fuel holding hopper, whereby such portion of its contents as may bedesired is delivered directly into the furnace withoutwaste or thedistribution of dirt about the premises.

It is thus possible for one person to fill the stoker hopper, in themorning-or evening, move it into proximity with the furnace and a weakerpersonoperate it thereafter in supplying the fuel at such times as thefurnace may require it. s

These several aims, objects and purposes together with others thatwillappear as the description progresses, are accomplished by the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter describedand shown in the accompanying drawing forming a material part of thisdisclosure, and in which Figure l'is a side elevational view of a stokermade in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same. Figure 3 is a plan view showinga modified formof hopper. 1 i

The invention is composed of a rigid rectangular base frame, generallydesig- PALMER HAR fuel to furnaces as used.

natedby the numeral '10, the same resting at one end on an-axle 11supported by wheels 12 adjacent the frame sides. 'Rotatable in avertical axis in the frame s1des,. near the front corners, are forkedcastoring means for moving the truck frame in straight or circular pathsas required; a A bolt 15 passes through the frame approximately at thecenter-of its length, the bolt being provided with nuts 16 adapted tosecurely clamp a pair ofchannel uprights 17 said bolt passing throughslots 18 in the lower ends of the uprights so that they may be adjustedfor height. x i 3 i A pair, of struts or braces 19 are similarly slottedas ati20 at their lower-ends and are clamped in adjustment by thescrews, or bolts 21.. v

The other ends of the struts are heldjto the uprights 17 by pivotalrivets 22, as obviously in raising or lowering the uprights, the anglebetween them and the struts will change.

Formed in the upper ends of the uprights are relatively shallow slots 23suited to C0117 tain pintles 2 1 extending out from a bar 25 fixedtransversely below a hopper 26.

Said hopper, as shown in Figuresl and 2,

is made ofheavy sheet metal, with parallel 29 having between them a rodor bar 30 pivotedbetween a pair of levers 31fconnected at theiroutturnedfends a handle Another rod 33 is fixed between the lower frontends of the levers, this rod being movable up or down alongside theuprights 17 and confined by loop guides 34 secured to the uprights.

One of thelevers 31 has pivoted to it by the screw 35, a bell-cranklever, one end 36 being engaged with a pull-string 37 and 1 the otherangular end 38 is guided by a loop 39 to engage in any of the notches 10formed in the channel.

A pull rod 41 is attached to the lever element 38, adjacent the loweredge of the lever 31, passing through an eye 42 and terminates in a pullring 43.

In the modification shown in Figure 3 the hopper 45 is formed with alevel bottom having its raised sides 46 narrowed at the front as at 47and formed with a clownturned or hook-shaped end 48 similar to 28 beforeindicated.

The rear portion of the hopper is also narrowed as at 49 and secured ona bar sition is readily maintained and is further assured by engagementof the detent 38 in the lowermost notch in the upright.

When it is desired to enter a charge of coal into the furnace, the dooris opened and the end 28 of the hopper advances through into the firebox, it being understood that the uprights have been adjusted to asuitable height Thereupon by pulling on the ring 43, the detent will bewithdrawn and moderate force'in the liftingdirection being applied tothe handle bar 32, the hopper will be oscillated upon the pivots 24,causing the contents of the hopper to be transferred by gravity into thefire box, which action may be assisted by the use of a poker or suitablepusher device if desired.

At this time the hopper will assume a position shown by the broken linesin Figure 1, the detent then engaging in the upper notch of theuprights-in a manner that will be readily understood.

The intermediate notch 40 might be used to maintain the hopper in asubstantially horizontal position while not feeding coal to the furnacethus further reducing the amount of energy required to oscillate thehopper to feeding position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a 1 convenient and practicalapparatus for the purpose has been disclosed, but as changes ofconstruction could be made within the scope of the invention, it isintended that all matter contained in foregoing description or shown inthe accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not ina limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. A portable stoker comprising a wheeled and castored truck, uprightson said truck, a hopper pivotally mounted on said up rights, said hopperhaving a curved bottom at its rear, and a narrowed portion at the frontadapted to enter a furnace, a hooked end on said narrowed portion, andmeans for tilting said hopper,

2. A portable stoker comprising a wheeled truck, uprights adjustableinheight rigidly mounted thereon, a hop-per having a contracted area atits rear, a trunnion bar fixed to said hop-per at a point in advance ofthe center of gravity thereof, means on the front of said hopper adaptedto engage with the opening of a fire box, means for tilting said hopper,and means for securing said hopper in its adjusted position.

3. A portable stoker comprising a m0vable truck, 'a hopper thereover,adjustable supports intervening said hopper and truck, means permittingsaid hopper to oscillate, a pair of levers pivotally engaged with therear of said hopper, means on said supports for guiding and limiting themovement of said levers, and a detent adjacent one of said levers formaintaining said hopper in adjustment. I

4. A portable stokercomprising a -mov able truck, uprights adjustable onsaid truck, means for'clamping said uprights in adjustment, a hopperpivotally supported York and State of New York this 9th day of FebruaryA. D. 1923.

STEVENS PALMER HARMAN.

